Indian-club



F. NOWAK.

INDIAN CLUB.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1921.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

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I INDIAN-CLUB.

ToaZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Flier-in NowAK, a c1t1 zen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chi--t cage, in the county of. Cookand State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Indian Clubs, of which the following is a'spec'ifi'cation, V

This invention relates to Indian clubs, and has reference more particularlyto that type of Indian club which is designed to present a factor ofsafety in its use by having a transversely elastic 'yieldable body which softens and cushions any accidental blow delivered by the club. larly skilled in the use of these clubs not infrequently injure themselves and others by accidental blows, and it is evident that an In dian club possessing a structure such that the injurious results of such blows are avoided or minimized is a desirable article from the viewpoint of safety.

Indian clubs having a hollow rubber body portion designed to be inflated with air have heretofore been proposed, and also clubs formed with a steel skeleton frame having a covering of canvas or rubber'for cushioning purposes have also been proposed; but such clubs involve a considerably greater expense to manufacture than the standard wooden club, and are too light in weight relatively to their size to possess the practical value as calisthenic devices of standard wooden clubs. The main ob ect of this invention is to provide a cushioned Indian club which shall involve in its manufacture but slightly 1 greater expense than the standard wooden club, which may preserve substantially the same weight, relatively to its size, as the standard wooden club, and which maybe made from the same stock as the standard 'wooden club. Another object is to provide an improved Indian club of the character Persons not particu-- Specificationoflettrsffent Patented nee. 6,1921. a lic tio fiiearebmar 12,1% )21.3Seria1 no. 4%,371. r J

with the handle broken out between its ends; and i ing identical witlrthe corresponding parts or portions. of the standard wooden club. The intermediate or body portion ofthe club Fig. 2 is an axial longitudinal section of is turned down in a lathe to form a narrow axial spindle 8 and a pair of annular shoulders 9 and 10 on the inner ends of the handle 5 and foot portion 7.. Completelyenveloping the'spindle '8 is an envelop 0r shell 11 preferably made either of solid or canvasreinforced rubber. This envelop or shell takes the general truncated oval form or contour of the cut away portion of the club and at its ends is mounted and supported} on the annular shoulders 9 and l0,to which latter it may be cemented if desired, although this is not necessary, since the natural elasticity of the rubber is'sufiicient to maintain its snug fit on the shoulders, except when it is distorted by compression, the re-.,

action or rebound at once restoring the snug fit of the parts.

.Vhen the rubber shell is compressed'by a blow, some of the confined air tends to escape around the end seats; and the rebound or return of the rubber to its normal form- 'may be facilitated by providing a small air vent 12 through the rubbershell, although this feature is not at all necessary to the practical utility of the device, and may be omitted. The walls of the rubber shell 11 are of substantial thickness, amply sufiicient to maintain the form of the shell, in the normal use of the club, without requiring inflation or other internal support.

To compensate for the weight of the material eliminated by turning down the body of the club, I preferably provide in the base 7 of the club a socket 13 into which is forced an insert 14: preferably of lead; this insert having substantially the weight of the wood displaced in forming the chamber in the body of the club and the socket 13, less the weight of the rubber shell 11. The use of this metal insert is, of course, optional; but it is preferred, since it both maintains the standard weight of a wooden club of the same size, and also transfers its center of gravity to a somewhat lower point, whielr facilitates greater dexterity and ease in the portion of the club, the elastic shell or-envelop 11 effectively cushions the blowfeven tliouglrthe blow be sufliciently vigorous to depress the envelop into contact with the spindle 8, since in the latter event the transf;

verse elasticity of the rubber alone is suficient to prevent contusions or more serious injury.

I claim 1. An Indian club having wooden handle and foot portions, an axial spindle connect;

ing said handle and foot portions, and a hollow transversely resilientenvelop or shell of sufiicient thickness to maintain its form without internal support mounted at its ends upon the saidhandle and foot portions a f' forming the and encircling'said spindle and main bodyportion of the club.

2; An Indian club having wooden handle and foot portions formed with annular shoulders on their inner ends, and an integral axial spindle connecting said handle v and foot portions, and a hollow transversely l'QSlllQIllIlfilVl-BlOl) 01 shell of truncated oval 5 form and of sufiicient thickness to maintain :its form without internal support mounted at its ends upon said shoulders and encircllng sald spindle.

3. An Indian club having wooden handle and foot portions formed with annular fshoulders on their inner endsand an integral axial spindle connecting said handle and foot portions, a hollow rubber envelop or shell of truncated oval form mounted at its ends upon said shoulders and encircling said spindle, and a metal insert in said foot portion.

7 I FRANK NOWVAK. 

